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Milne-Thomson Circle Theorem
Milne-Thomson Circle Theorem
Let f ( z ) be the complex potential for a flow having no rigid boundaries and such that there are no singularities within the circle z = a . Then on introducing the solid cylinder z = a , with impermeable boundary, into the flow, the new complex potential for the fluid outside the cylinder is given by W = f ( z ) + f (a 2 / z ) for z a . Proof
All singularities of f ( z ) occur in the region z > a . Hence the singularities of
f (a 2 / z ) occur in the region a 2 / z > a , i.e., z < a . Thus the singularities of f (a 2 / z ) also lie in the region z < a . It follows that in the region z > a , the functions f ( z ) and f ( z ) + f (a 2 / z ) both have the same analytical singularities. Thus both functions considered as complex potentials represent the same hydrodynamical distributions in the region z > a . The proof of the theorem is now completed by considering what happens on the circular boundary z = a . To this end, we write z = ae i on the boundary where is real. Then a 2 / z = ae i = z on the circular boundary. Thus, on the boundary z = a ,
W = f ( z ) + f (a 2 / z ) = f ( z ) + f ( z ) ,